The start of October means the start of a baseball fan’s favorite time of the year: the Major League Baseball postseason. After 162 regular season games, the top 12 teams are moving on to the MLB playoffs. The playoff format consists of four series, starting with the Wild Card Series (new in 2023) and ending with the coveted World Series Championship. Find out which teams made it to the postseason, the MLB playoffs & World Series schedule and how to watch the games live with DIRECTV.
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TV CHANNELS FOR THE MLB PLAYOFFS
The 2023 MLB playoffs and subsequent World Series will be available to watch on a few different TV channels. The networks broadcasting the games, depending on the league and series, include:
Regional Sports Lineup: Check local listings
Fox Sports 1 (FS1): DIRECTV 219
MLB Network: DIRECTV 213
ESPN: DIRECTV 206
ESPN 2: DIRECTV 209
Bally Sports: DIRECTV 692
TBS: DIRECTV 247
WHAT TEAMS ARE IN THE 2023 MLB PLAYOFF PICTURE?
Not all of the teams in the playoffs have been determined yet, but as of now you can expect to see these teams on the field come October baseball, with their seed, if available.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore Orioles (clinched seed 1; AL East division winner)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta Braves (clinched seed 1; NL East division winner)
Los Angeles Dodgers (clinched seed 2; NL West division winner)
Milwaukee Brewers (clinched seed 3; NL Central division winner)
Philadelphia Phillies (clinched seed 4; NL East Wild Card 1)
MLB PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE 2023
Anything can happen in the MLB postseason. And with the new wild card format, that’s even more true. When looking at the schedule below, remember that not all matchups will play all the games in their series.
For instance, if a team wins the first two games in the Wild Card Series, the series will end there, rather than playing out the third game.
First, here’s a look at the MLB postseason schedule format. Following the list will be the full schedule with game times and team matchups.
WILD CARD SERIES: OCTOBER 3-5
First, the wild card teams from either league will compete in a three-game series. These games will be available either on ABC, ESPN (channel 206) or ESPN2 (channel 209) on DIRECTV.
*Are included for games that are only played by necessity.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3 (ESPN)
Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies vs. NL Wild Card 2
Game 1: Tampa Bay Rays vs. AL Wild Card 2
Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers vs. NL Wild Card 3
Game 1: Minnesota Twins vs. AL Wild Card 3
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 (ESPN)
Game 2: Philadelphia Phillies vs. NL Wild Card 2
Game 2: Tampa Bay Rays vs. AL Wild Card 2
Game 2: Milwaukee Brewers vs. NL Wild Card 3
Game 2: Minnesota Twins vs. AL Wild Card 3
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 (ESPN)
Game 3: Philadelphia Phillies vs. NL Wild Card 2
Game 3: Tampa Bay Rays vs. AL Wild Card 2
Game 3: Milwaukee Brewers vs. NL Wild Card 3
Game 3: Minnesota Twins vs. AL Wild Card 3
DIVISION SERIES: OCTOBER 7-14
The Division Series will be available to watch through DIRECTV on either Fox, FS1 (channel 219) or TBS (channel 247).
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
NLDS Game 1: Atlanta Braves vs. NL 4/5 Winner (TBS)
ALDS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD (FOX and FS1)
ALDS Game 1: Baltimore vs. AL 4/5 Winner (FOX and FS1)
NLDS Game 1: LA Dodgers vs. NL 3/6 Winner (TBS)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8 (Fox/FS1)
ALDS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
ALDS Game 2: Baltimore Orioles vs. AL 4/5 Winner
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 (TBS)
NLDS Game 2: Atlanta Braves vs. NL 4/5 Winner
NLDS Game 2: LA Dodgers vs. NL 3/6 Winner
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 (Fox/FS1)
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
ALDS Game 3: Baltimore Orioles vs. AL 4/5 Winner
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11
NLDS Game 3: LA Dodgers vs. NL 3/6 Winner (TBS)
NLDS Game 3: Atlanta Braves vs. NL 4/5 Winner (TBS)
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)*
ALDS Game 4: Baltimore Orioles vs. AL 4/5 Winner (Fox/FS1)*
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12
NLDS Game 4: LA Dodgers vs. NL 3/6 Winner (TBS)*
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD (NLDS)*
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 (Fox/FS1)
ALDS Game 5: TBD vs. TBD*
ALDS Game 5: Baltimore Orioles vs. AL 4/5 Winner*
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 (TBS)
NLDS Game 5: Atlanta Braves vs. NL 4/5 Winner*
NLDS Game 5: LA Dodgers vs. NL 3/6 Winner*
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: OCTOBER 15-24
Winners of the American League Division Series and National League Division Series will move onto the Championship Series. Games will be available to watch live through DIRECTV on Fox and FS1 (channel 219) or TBS (channel 247).
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 (Fox/FS1)
ALCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16
NLCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
ALCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17 (TBS)
NLCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18
ALCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19
NLCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
ALCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20
NLCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
ALCS Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21
NLCS Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22
ALCS Game 6*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 23
NLCS Game 6*: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
ALCS Game 7*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox/FS1)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24
NLCS Game 7*: TBD vs. TBD (TBS)
SCHEDULE FOR THE WORLD SERIES
After the first three rounds in the MLB playoffs are over, the two prevailing teams – one from the Atlantic League and the other from the National League – match up against each other in the final 7-game series, the one and only MLB World Series.
This schedule overview will go through the dates for each game, along with the designated network to watch it on.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27
World Series Game 1: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28
World Series Game 2: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30
World Series Game 3: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31
World Series Game 4: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
World Series Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3
World Series Game 6*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4
World Series Game 7*: TBD vs. TBD (Fox)
WATCH THE MLB POSTSEASON WITH DIRECTV
The World Series will be here before you know it, and you don’t want to miss it. And if you don’t want to miss the MLB playoff games leading up to the World Series, look to DIRECTV. With the most local MLB games, plus MLB Strike Zone and MLB Network, you’ll have no problem keeping your head in the game.
And with DIRECTV Sports Pack, you can watch even more professional sports live with over 40 specialty sports networks, including NFL Network, NFL RedZone from NFL Network, NBA TV and more.
New customer? Find out how to get Sports Pack included for your first three months.
